I'm Heidi from My Beautiful Mess and I am so excited to be here on The Quiet Life of Violet, sharing a few things from my infinite list of blessings. I'm a stay-at-home mama of three beautiful, challenging and unique kiddos who spend their time making sure I'm never bored. I'm married to the most handsome man on the planet (sorry girls, he's taken) and he blesses me every day. We live a loud and messy and crazy and beautiful life...and we love being goofy. My blog, as an extension of who I am, is a fully random expression of my thoughts, feelings, questions, passions, projects, ideas and obsessions. And recently it's turned into a place where I count my innumerable, overwhelming blessings. I love to create in any way shape or form which leads me to constantly reinvent myself. I love reinventing myself. My Beautiful Mess is where I grow and learn and find beauty in the chaotic and wonderful mess of life. Come on over and visit...if you don't mind the mess. I also have an etsy shop where I sell some of my projects and photography.
In the last few months I've begun listing the many things I'm grateful for in a Gratitude Journal...and I am overwhelmed.
HELLO! My name is Amanda Marie and I’m the author of my (new) blog Tutus and Tea Parties; where I write about my life as a single momma to a 3 year old little princess named Abigail Rayne. I love all things photography related, and even attend school for it and hope to be finished within the next year! I have a job and I hate it, but I am grateful to have one. My grandma is the heart behind my creativity she taught me to sew and when I was 10 I made my own dress, and it’s then that I realized that I loved crafting. I gave up on it for a while but as I slowly got back into I noticed that I make A LOT of things and I am slowly running out of room to store them. So, upon realizing this my amazing boyfriend suggested I sell online, and that is when lights{camera}CRAFT! was born. I will be making a large variety of creations for the shop, I’m sure there will be something there for everyone, regardless of age or style. So, that’s me in a nutshell; single momma, photographer, crafter and (now) blogger and shop owner.
1001. The way Abigail’s laugh can turn my worst day into a good one.
1002. How accomplished I feel when I conquer something on my to-do list.
1003. Fresh, un-polluted mountain air.
1004. The made up songs and dances performed by Abigail on a daily basis.
1005. How my heart beats fast and slow at the same time when I’m with my boyfriend.
1006. Hearing “good morning mommy” from a sleepy eyed girl as she crawls into bed with me to snuggle.
1007. How accepting my boyfriend was of my daughter when we first got together, and how much he loves her today; 1 ½ later.
1008. Going through my camera and finding that I took some frame worthy photos.
1009. The way my boyfriend comes to my rescue no matter what (even when he is sick and comes to catch a bat that’s flying around my house).
1010. Having lunch and a margarita with my momma<3
1011. Being able to photograph my Great Grandpa’s 94th birthday.
1012. Playing Mario on the old Nintendo with my grandpa while he “shows me how it’s done”
1013. How supportive and accepting my family has been since I got pregnant with Abigail at 17.
1014. (In all honesty) for being a single momma, because if I was parenting with her donor, Abigail wouldn’t be nearly as smart as she is today; and that’s the sad truth.
1015. Spontaneous lunch dates and window shopping days with my best friend
1016. Waking up early (without Abigail’s help), realizing she is still asleep and having a few moments of mommy time.
1017. Children’s consignment sales.
1018. Having a mom that has great ideas to please a princess; such as having picnics in the front yard.
1019. For my daughter being 3 years old and already being as smart as some 5 year olds.
1020. Long quite walks through the neighborhood in the evening.
1021. Dandelion Wishes.
1022. Quiet crafty nights.
1023. My day job (even though it sucks).
1024. Clearance sections in my favorite stores.
1025. for my best friend who has stuck with me through absolutely everything in the last 10 years!
Number 1016. OH, sweet number 1016.
"Waking up early (without Abigail’s help),
realizing she is still asleep and having a few
moments of mommy time."
If you are a Mom (or Dad!) and have ever experienced a hard day followed by a morning like the above, oh yes. We are thankful. The only thing better is when your little one wakes up in a good mood after said morning. Yes. Yes. Yes.
Nina Gilbert, aka "nina beana", is a mama, a crafter, a self-taught artist, a massage therapist, and a doula. she loves to play with color, vintage ephemera, children's books, and acrylics. she's also mighty fond of polaroids and photobooth strips. nina loves to take pictures of bright, beautiful things that make her happy. you can find her waxing poetic on the power of positive thinking, entertaining the masses in her cozy home, or being climbed on by her three wild children.
926. the way that old red paint looks next to old bright lime green paint
927. shiny clean wood floors, and the way that kids can sense that they are clean...and then come along and dump some orange juice on them
928. getting to take a shower without being interrupted. but also taking a shower and opening my eyes and realizing that there's a little face peering at me, peeking out behind the shower curtain.
929. castle ruins. and listening to a stranger play the guitar while sitting on one of the crumbling walls.
930. farmers markets. and delicious local honey sticks. and live music there. and slowing down.
931. roasted potatoes dipped in BBQ sauce.
932. reading through the series of seren books with my kids. i collected them when i was young and saved them for this very reason. sometimes when we open one i'll see the way i wrote my maiden name in the inside cover, soon after learning cursive. and now my oldest is learning cursive. i love that.
933. the fact that my youngest is obsessed with rainbow brite. when people ask her name, she will say rainbow brite and she really believes it.
934. my little gnome friend
935. packing up a whole house into two little pods---and starting over in a new home!
936. putting a fresh coat of paint on anything
937. painting everyone's toes turquoise
938. decaf green tea inside when it's raining outside
939. giving nursery paintings as baby shower gifts
944. finally being able to put the baby-mullet in a ponytail!
945. the way that mint just comes up heartier and more expansive every spring
946. waiting anxiously for my friend to call me to go with her to the birth of her first child
947. watching old episodes of pee wee's playhouse
948. daydreaming about building a tiny house in the backyard of our new house
949. lazy summer days eating fresh fruit and sitting my the pool
950. the way the first sip of an iced coffee is pretty much the best thing ever
Thank you, Nina!
My In-Laws have a charming little collection of gnomes in their back yard. Not all scary and Hoarders, but pleasantly gnome-y. Your little guy would fit right in!
Speaking of gnomes, I'm assuming that all of you guys have seen Amelie, the charming little French movie. The traveling gnome! That movie hold a special place in heart. Dustin and I first saw it when we were going to college together and it quickly became one of our favorites. From the overly saturated scenes to the hidden treasures in artichokes, we were smitten. So much so that we chose this song as our first at our wedding:
It's been a WHILE since I updated this series. Whew!
I could be all crappy and blame it on not "having time" or having had surgery or colds or whatever, but I'm gunna be real and let you all know that it's been on the back burner because because I've been busy enjoying my quiet
life. Dustin and I have become ADDICTED to Battlestar Galactica and we spend our evenings, after Roman's gone down, watching Starbuck blast the shit out of the toasters. After our episode ( Or two. Or three.), I either fart around a bit on my sweet iPad, stuff baby diapers or fall asleep on the couch. I swear, the older he gets, the more worn out I am come each day's end. I love it, though. I absolutely LOVE the life that we have. Throw in a scoop or two of Trader Joe's chocolate coconut ice cream and maybe a bit of smoochin' on my man and I have just been as happy as a clam. Eeeeeee!
Little things that need to be done and weigh on my heart sit in my brain and slowly peck at me until
I move my tooshie and make the time to satisfy the call. This series is one of them. Granted, A month or so ago, I DID go into my 1,300 Things folder in my email and try to pump out setting up the rest of the posts, but I discovered that a handful of the people that agreed to take part in the series never sent me their lists. Which sucks. But, in the spirit of getting shit done and enjoying my quiet life, I'm going to finish posting the lists that I actually have and be done with it.
I want my series back.
Does that sound selfish? Eeek. That wasn't my intention. I loved reading what others were thankful for, seeing pictures from all around the world and peeing into other people's lives, but I want to share little things with you guys each week that I'm thankful for like I did the first year of the series.
With this little guy turing one in 22 days, the completion of the surgery that will allow me to walk (I go in on thursday) and a possible second baby in the works by summer's end, I know that I will have more than things to share with you guys.
Hello, I am Amy Dupcak, a 28-year-old vegetarian Aquarian living in downtown Manhattan. I teach English and tutor on the college level, but I’ve also worked as a music journalist, blogger, and editor. And though I’m not a musician, it’s hard to find me without headphones. I’ve covered festivals like SxSW and CMJ, interviewed bands/artists like MGMT and Moby, and written many an album review. Last year, I started a blog called “No Alternative”: a (somewhat) daily fix of NYC-based alternative culture and arts…or just me gushing about stuff. For one series on my blog, I interview people I know, support, and admire about living creative/ passionate lifestyles (Stephanie included), in hopes of inspiring others and learning something new myself. Aside from blogging, I primarily write fiction, and after studying at Sarah Lawrence College, I earned my MFA in Fiction at The New School. Since then, I’ve published a few short stories and nonfiction pieces, and finished my first novel. I like to snap photos, draw spirals, watch documentaries about disturbing things, and make lists: from ‘best albums of the year’ to ‘favorite movie endings’ to things I am thankful for! I “met” the lovely Stephanie Violet through personally knowing the band 100 Monkeys, whom she met a few years ago. Nothing like some sweaty musicians to bring together two girls from opposite coasts.
876. When my mother goes out of her way to do sweet things for me…one time, she drove to my car in a parking lot to place my peacoat inside because she knew I’d be unprepared for the cold.
877. My sister, Laura, who is intricately woven into the fabric of my childhood/self, and who makes for the best Taboo partner. Here’s a photo of us at Cape Cod in 1988; I’m the one with the swimmies.
878. Anything teal-green (it just makes me so excited!).
879. Times New Roman. And Garamond, too.
880. Fireworks at Coney Island.
881. The magic that is Zelda, from original Nintendo to N64.
882. That I got “the good hair,” according to my mom. Also thankful to the friends who have cut, brushed, dyed, and dried all 20-some-odd inches of it, since I haven’t been to a salon since like 2003.
883. The madness that was Fleetwood House, where a smattering of us college kids knew no boundaries, hardly slept, broke our own hearts, and became intensely close friends.
884. Many trusty pairs of Converse and Doc Martens.
885. The smell of old comic books, thrift-store shirts, warm rain, matches, cologne, Nag Champa, and my grandmothers’ houses. The sound of sprinklers, just-spent sparklers hitting water, high notes on pianos, mourning doves, cicadas, and Thom Yorke’s voice.
886. That my favorite spot for brunch is right downstairs and they always know what I want: the Vegan’s choice, without onions.
887. My 2007 California road-trip adventure with my oldest friend, Ariana, which involved hiking in Big Sur, sand-dune sliding in San Luis Obispo, night-time swimming in Santa Barbara, dancing at the Roosevelt Hotel in LA, attending the BFD music fest in Mountain View, lounging on hippie-hill in San Fran, shouting out the car window on Route 1, and much more. Did I mention I love California?
888. The poetry of Anne Sexton, Sylvia Plath, and e.e. cummings.
889. Grunge culture and Nirvana, without which I would simply not be the same.
890. Having known Spencer Bell for two and a half years before he succumbed to cancer.
891. My photographic memory and vivid dreams, which deeply fuel my writing.
892. Old photobooths, and waiting for the photos to dry. Here’s a photo I took of my friend Keegan holding her still-wet photos:
893. My 120GB iPod classic. It took me longer than most to transition from Walkman to Discman, and then from Discman to iPod, but it really just makes life so much easier.
894. Migraine-free days, and the acupuncturist who has helped me for several years.
895. When VH1 Classic plays music videos from the ’80s on nights I can’t sleep.
896. All the time, effort, and care Jim Powers has put into decorating East Village/Lower East Side lampposts with his tiled mosaics.
897. My teeny-tiny handwriting, which bugged the hell out of one high school religion teacher (ha!).
898. Dark chocolate. I usually have a stash of it somewhere!
899. Impromptu dance parties with good friends and good music…especially Madonna.
900. The fact that my mom never moved, and that home is still home.
Oooo.. (#885) Thom Yorke's voice. It's like a big old spoon of peanutbutter (if you're into that sort of thing) for the soul. Dustin and I saw him in concert once - one of the best we've ever been to. I could stare at his swee tlittle lazy eye all day. He could stare at my leg. Match made in heaven.
I first met (internet "met") Amy after meeting the band 100 Monkeys in San Francisco with Nic. I found her on Myspace (remember Myspace?!) after checking out the 100 Monkey's page and we became friends. She's so rad. For all of you ladies who were in High school around the time of 10 Things I Hate About You, Miss Amy went to Sarah Lawrence, people! After hearing stories about some of her adventures, the part of me that always wanted to go away to school, be this independent female and study hard was satisfied through her. When I read what she writes, I, for two seconds, feel like a very stupid girl because Amy CAN WRITE. After those two pass, my insecurities pipe down and awe settles in. If you're into music or art and can appreciate a grungier, less DIYqueen-vintage-cutsey feel, check out her blog.
When she and I first became friends, we found out that among other things, we had cancer in common - me through my obvious trials and her through that of her late friend, Spencer Bell. He passed away just eleven days after finding out he had cancer at age 20. He left behind some amazing music and this whole legacy of living life in the right-now. This boy that I never even knew, never shook hands with or smiled at, just connected with my core. He's inspiring to me, even after his death and I'm so thankful to be a part of his legacy, even if it is in the tiniest way and mostly just for myself. Looking into his eyes in pictures, I see me and my story. What would have happened to me if I weren't as lucky as I have been. Actually, I don't know if you can call it luck. I think my life's plan, my path, was just different than his - we was meant to go sooner, so young and bursting with potential. As sad as it is, telling myself that he was meant to go when he did, well, it's the only way to keep peace in my heart and not break down with sadness for the life that could blossomed into so very much more.
**Also, I did an interview for Amy on her blog, if you'd care to read.**
Hi, I'm Vanessa of Little Gray Pixel. New mama to baby Alexa. Journalist by day, photographer and writer by night. Fan of design, fashion and music. Lover of Thai tea and gelato. Born in the Midwest, now living in Los Angeles. My blog is about all of these things and more.
862. My husband's ridiculously long eyelashes. They're so lush.
863. The crisp ocean breeze at the top of the hill, with Catalina Island in the distance.
864. The Strokes' new album. At the moment my favorite is "Two Kinds of Happiness," but I like every song on it.
865. Fast forwarding through unnecessarily loud commercials on DVR.
866. Amazon Kindle. I can read sappy chick lit on the treadmill now without the pages flapping around.
867. Cardigans for stylishly hiding my flawed arms.
868. Living in an apartment without air conditioning or central heat and it's OK for 345 out of 365 days a year because the weather here is amazing.
869. How taking a quick shower can turn your mood from sour to content.
870. Delicious baby toes. Gobble them up.
871. Friends who start off in the middle of the last conversation you had with them, no matter how many years it's been since you've seen them or talked to them.
872. Summer barbecues, Corona with lime and good laughs.
873. Trader Joe's peppermint toothpaste. Less expensive than commercial pastes, and all-natural. Win-win.
874. Old photographs in shoe boxes and late nights spent "remembering when."
875. Pedicures with bright red nail polish.
Number 858... That. Is. All. Can we get a halle-freaking-lujah for smartphones? I was lucky enough to get my iPhone (Miss Bluebell) right before Roman was born, so it was my saving grace for all of the times that he fell asleep and I was too afraid to move and wake him. Netflix in bed. On my phone. Hell yes. :)
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